Two projects posing threat to SGNP cleared

Survey for tunnel between Thane and Borivali and national highway widening were approved by the State Wildlife Board yesterday; Mumbai-Nagpur highway to cut across three sanctuaries.

Two projects, which pose a threat to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), were cleared by the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) on Wednesday, while the multi-modal corridor connecting Virar and Alibag by MMRDA was deferred due to the opposition from environmentalists.

The SBWL is headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and a meeting was held at the state guesthouse on Wednesday evening.

The proposal by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation of constructing Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communications Highway by cutting across three sanctuaries was also passed by the board. Forest department sources said that SBWL member, Bittu Sehgal, offered to resign, but he was convinced by Additional Chief Secretary (Chief Minister Office) Praveen Pardeshi to attend the SBWL meeting.

Projects like widening of National Highway widening and allowing geo technical survey for Thane-Borivali tunnel and relaxation of norms for builders, and VIrar – Alibag Multimodal corridor were discussed in this meeting.

In 2016, the state diverted 10 hectares of forest land with 12,000 trees for the Delhi Mumbai Industrial corridor. Now, the MMRDA is planning a multi-modal corridor between Virar and Alibag, which will run parallel to the corridor and the SGNP is set to lose 14.8 hectare of land. This will be a big barrier for movement of animals and leopards and other animals can be get slaughtered under speeding vehicles. “This was not cleared as we wanted more details. The officers will give us more details in the next meeting,’’ said SBWL member Aneesh Andheria.

Another proposal is of widening the national highway number 8 from four lanes to six lanes and nearly 1.5 km passes through SGNP periphery and 4.5 hectares of land on the periphery is needed for this. The proposal states that area required for this road widening is non-forest land, which was dereseved in the year 1965 well before Sanjay Gandhi National Park was notified. This non- forest area of 4.5454 ha is already in possession of NHAI. The stretch of NH-8, which starts from Surat in Gujarat state and terminates at Dahisar in Mumbai, links the industrial cities of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Vapi and Mumbai.

Since the proposal in on top of priority, the CM has accorded approval to it and this will be ratified in the ensuing meeting of the State Board for Wildlife, Maharashtra, the proposal stated. This was cleared in the meeting. The chief wildlife warden has recommended this propsosal with certain conditions. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has been pursuing its deam project of completing a tunnel between Borivali and Thane even then there is a wide highway.

This is a dream project of MSRDC minister Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, who is a Thane district guardian minister. The MSRDC wants to drill bore holes at nine places in the core zone of the SGNP. The proposal says that MSRDC wants to do detailed Project report (DPR) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study for construction of Twin-Tube, 3 Lane each highway tunnel between Tikuji-ni-wadi in Thane City and road to Western Express highway in Borivali East, Mumbai passing through Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali. Out of 9 bore holes proposed, one bore hole will be in the recreation zone area of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and 8 bore holes will be in the eco-sensitive zone. The depth of proposed bore holes of size (about 100 mm diameter) ranges from 20 m to 97 m. As the area is open, the machinery may cause sound pollution and it may have impact on the wildlife, says the proposal.

The project will reduce the existing traffic congestion on Western Express Highway and Thane Ghodbundar road. The following benefits are expected of the project, says the proposal.

This proposal has been recommended by the Chief Wildlife Warden, Maharashtra State recommended the proposal with conditions that there shall not be tree felling, only few branches and bushes may be cut to facilitate clear view. No dumping of debris on forest area or any land under the control of the SGNP Division shall be done by project proponent. In event of striking an aquifer or aquaduct, leading to its utility as water source for the wildlife, the same shall be converted into a bore-well and handed it over for upkeep and usage, the proposal says.

This was also cleared in the meeting. But the good news is that Ghodazari has been cleared as sanctuary in Vidarbha which is a haven for tigers.,

But the government got the proposal of Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Highway passed. It will pass through Katepurna, Karanja Sohol sanctuaries and eco sensitive zone of Tansa sanctuary near Mumbai. The project (40 km length) is within the deemed Eco-Sensitive Zone of Tansa Sanctuary. The CM said in the meeting that he wants to make it an iconic project. The wildlife members suggested that there must be mitigation members for wildlife movement

Environmentalists also raised concerns about the rising number of tiger and wildlife deaths due to electrocution.

Recent Messages ()

Please rate before posting your Review

OR PROCEED WITHOUT REGISTRATION

Share on Twitter

SIGN IN WITH

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.